“We’re sorry, but we have to let you go!”. “You’re fired!“ – How many times did you hear this phrase? Why are so many talented millennials getting fired from their jobs? Let’s have a deeper look at the types of termination of employment as well as the top reasons why even the most talented employees get fired. You might as well get insights about what to do if you lose a job and how to handle the situation better.
Perhaps you must have not to be fired from your job. In this case, you should feel lucky. Unfortunately, many talented millennials aren’t as lucky as you. Most of them have been terminated from their dream jobs.
Many more will probably hear it sometime in the future due to changes in the corporate culture in many organizations. But first, let’s look at the types of termination of employment.
Types of Termination of Employment
When it comes to employment termination, it can be voluntarily or involuntarily.
1. Voluntary termination
Voluntary termination is usually initiated by the employees themselves. When employees find better job opportunities they resign from their current job.
Similarly, due to certain reasons like health issues, family problems, personal choices, higher pay, retirement, etc. employees may choose to quit their job.
2. Involuntary termination
On the other hand, involuntary termination is initiated by the employer. It can be because of employee misconduct, poor performance, absenteeism, ethical issues, violation of company policies, etc.
Apart from this, the involuntary type of termination of employment happens immediately, with a short notice period (30 days) or a longer notice period (6 months). This is a very common practice in corporate culture.
Despite acknowledging the talent of their millennial employees, employers often choose to fire them. You can avoid ending up in this situation by reviewing the most common employers’ reasons below and making sure they do not reflect your situation.
Reasons Why Companies Fire Talented Employees & What Can You Do To Keep Your Job?
1. The Pandemic & Falling Economy
The coronavirus pandemic had led to millions if not billions of people lose their jobs worldwide. Such situations lead to massive job cuts and uncertain provisions from the government.
When companies anticipate a falling economy, they slowly lay off even talented employees. Most of the time, talented folks are the most expensive resources for an employer. Hence they might as well kick off the good employees and retain the less talented folks. If you’re suddenly fired due to a falling economy, it might be difficult to land a new job immediately.
But here’s what you can do to help the situation:
- Start looking for part-time jobs until you find a permanent position. Learn how to earn money without having a 9-5 job.
- Analyze which industry is the least impacted due to the economy crash, and start applying for jobs in that sector.
- Apply for government unemployment funds. Request banks to hold off monthly payments. Take help from family or parents if they have an emergency fund.
- Start a side hustle. Resume your hobby project or work on that idea you have been delaying. This might be the best time to give a chance to yourself and be an entrepreneur full-time.
- Write and publish a book. Here is the step by step process to publish your book.
- Work on your skills and try to improve them.
- Gain more knowledge and get certifications, if applicable.
2. Exaggerated Demands
As the Deloitte Millennial Survey points out, millennials want the perks of freelancing and the stability of a full-time job.
We want freedom, independence, and opportunities, but without risks. Similarly, we want to advance in our careers fast. Also, we want high paychecks even before proving ourselves.
Inc.com reported almost two years ago that millennials expect to coach to get their job done.
Moreover, they are not available when their employers need them, and they expect the work atmosphere to be fun, relaxing, and engaging.
Well, millennial employers have other priorities and prefer to fire employees who have such claims. They prefer to focus on those who are willing to work with what they get, when necessary, and turn a profit.
If you want to keep your job, you need to adjust, to settle for what your employer is willing to offer.
3. Poor Personal Communication Skills
Even though we spend a lot of time online and have hundreds of friends on social media, many of us, millennials, don’t score too high in the personal communications department.
We seem to have a hard time communicating face-to-face, expressing our thoughts, getting our message across, and synthesizing the information we receive.
For most employers, personal communication skills matter as much as or even more than online communication skills.
To meet their expectations, put down your smartphone, leave your computer in standby mode, fight your social anxiety, and start talking to your colleagues and your superiors. Poor communication skills are one of the top 10 reasons employees get fired.
Don’t hesitate to ask questions. Also, provide the kind of clear answers you would want to receive yourself. Your personal communication skills will improve with time. In this way, your employer will see that those amazing online reports and presentations are just a part of what you can do.
4. Too Many Personal Issues
Around 20% of millennials suffer from depression, 4% more than the previous generations.
Some of us give in to stress and peer pressure. Others are the victims of their expectations – they planned for fame and success and they can’t accept the reality of being just another average employee.
According to an Accenture survey, 51% of recent college graduate employees consider themselves underemployed.
Millennials focus so much on what they don’t have, that they forget to appreciate and invest in what is already theirs.
Employers are fed up with their employees’ excuses and personal problems. When they hire you to do a job, they just want that job done, no matter what job you think you deserve or what you want from life.
They do not want to play the psychologist, so don’t tend to make them!
5. Lack of Discipline
We live in a chaotic world, and we hate routine, rules, and everything that could threaten our freedom. However, you should learn to love them and become more disciplined as far as your job is concerned. Lack of discipline is one of the top 10 reasons employees get fired.
You should follow your employer’s regulations, be on time, meet deadlines, and obey instructions. Otherwise, you could become just another number of unemployment statistics. This type of termination falls under involuntary termination of employment.
Employers love it when you bend others’ rules to pursue their interests, but they want you to follow their own rules to the letter. They want you to be on time and dependable, to follow deadlines and instructions.
If you haven’t, now would be a good time to start. Otherwise, you may not get another chance.
6. Lack of Focus and Attention to Details
Always against the clock and with a million things on our minds, we, millennials, are becoming distracted and superficial. We can no longer live without our smartphones, but these devices are also the ones that make our work more difficult, affecting our ability to focus.
All those notifications from apps and social media interrupt and distract us all the time, no matter if we are in the middle of a conversation, struggling to complete an important task, or trying to come up with solutions for work-related problems.
We no longer care or have time to pay attention to details, and we tend to cut corners to get what we want.
Employers are not willing to put up with this. If you want to keep your job, turn off some of those notifications, start double-checking your work, and think twice before you say or do something. If you care about your job, you shouldn’t leave room for mistakes and loose ends.
7. Irresponsibility
Millennials have a hard time assuming fault when something doesn’t go the way it should, and employers hate that. If you screwed up, no matter the reasons, acknowledge it, learn from it, and move on.
Irresponsible behavior falls in the top 10 reasons why employees get fired.
Your employer does not care why it happened, but they do want to know you take responsibility for your actions and you learn from your mistakes. This type of termination of employment can happen within a short period or sometimes even immediately.
As Marco Buscaglia shows in his article in the Chicago Tribune, accountability is important not only towards employers and work colleagues but also towards clients and customers.
The vital qualities in any business field are:
- reliability,
- honesty,
- and desire to improve.
8. Confidence Issues
It seems a few of us take the middle way when it comes to self-confidence. Some of us have very low self-esteem and see ourselves as inferior to our peers and the previous generation.
Others are too self-centered and overconfident, and this prevents them from seeing things objectively, affects their relationships, and prevents their self-development.
Therefore, low self-confidence is also one of the top 10 reasons for employees getting fired.
Employers hate both categories. They want employees who are self-aware, confident enough to try new things, assume new tasks, and take initiative, but humble enough to accept advice and follow instructions, to acknowledge faults and try to correct them.
9. Inappropriate Behavior
We were taught to speak freely, to fight for what we want, to express our personality and our sexuality. Unfortunately, some millennials forget that freedom of speech, expression, and action does not cancel common-sense rules.
Quite often, members of our generation are:
- rude to their colleagues,
- behave inappropriately in front of peers and clients,
- forget that they represent their employer,
- and even harass people physically and mentally.
Employers find such behavior unacceptable, and will not hesitate to fire those who display it. One of the top 10 reasons employees get fired is inappropriate behavior. This is an example of involuntary termination of employment.
10. Lack of Commitment and Loyalty
Employers have concluded that many millennials have commitment issues. Some of us do not take things seriously, need pushing, and do not care about their superiors or the company they work for.
In 2016, they looked forward to switching employers and advancing in their careers. In 2017, Deloitte reports they began to appreciate job security more.
However, this is only due to the unfavorable changes in the job market. Their attitude towards employers has not changed.
Well, employers want employees who can see beyond their paycheck, who care about the company, and can see things from their perspective as well.
They want loyal and committed employees willing to work hard to make the company successful, not traitors or opportunists.
11. Ingratitude
Perhaps your employer cannot offer all the perks and benefits you’ve asked for. However, every small concession they make is a sign they care and they are trying to improve. Instead of always asking for more and showing your dissatisfaction, it may be wise to show a little gratitude.
After all, they gave you a job and you are unable to find a better one at the moment. They pay you a salary that puts food on your table and pays your bills. Sure, there is always room for better, but something is better than nothing.
Employers are fed up with the “entitled” attitude of their millennial employees, and for all the right reasons. If you care about your job and you don’t want to lose it, give up the attitude and start showing some gratitude!
There Are Always Exceptions to the Rule!
Do you think any of the situations above apply to you? Then it is time you act on them unless you are willing to risk losing your job. I honestly hope this is not your case, and I know for a fact that many millennials do not fit the descriptions above.
Also, the list is not exhaustive. Sometimes, employers fire millennials for reasons that have nothing to do with the ones discussed above.
Your thoughts,
Are you aware of other reasons employers have to fire talented people? Feel free to share your story, we would love to hear it.
And don’t hesitate to share this article and help other talented employees from losing their jobs. In the end, no one wants to become part of the unemployment statistics.
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Key Takeaways And FAQs on Getting Fired
Here’s what you can do to help the situation after getting fired:
- Start looking for part-time jobs until you find a permanent position. Learn how to earn money without having a 9-5 job.
- Analyze which industry is the least impacted due to the economy crash, and start applying for jobs in that sector.
- Apply for government unemployment funds. Request banks to hold off monthly payments. Take help from family or parents if they have an emergency fund.
- Start a side hustle. Resume your hobby project or work on that idea you have been delaying. This might be the best time to give a chance to yourself and be an entrepreneur full-time.
- Write and publish a book. Here is the step by step tutorial on how to publish your first book.
- Work on your skills and try to improve them.
- Gain more knowledge and get certifications, if applicable.
What is the main cause for termination?
There are several causes of termination including a bad economy due to a pandemic, crisis, or recession.
Other causes contribute to high demands from the employer, irresponsibility, inappropriate behavior, high costs, poor skills, etc.
What are the types of termination?
There are two types of employment termination, it can be voluntarily or involuntarily. Voluntary termination is usually initiated by the employees themselves. When employees find better job opportunities they resign from their current job.
On the other hand, involuntary termination is initiated by the employer.
What is force resignation?
When an employee forces you to resign by an employer without any other choice, it is a forced resignation.
In other words, the employer doesn’t give a choice to the employee to negotiate the termination.
Here’s more about the things to do when unemployed or how to deal with unemployment stress. Happy reading!
